Until Ragnarok
by Five Minutes Til Bedtime
Summary: Thor intends for Loki to face Asgardian justice – namely his own. One-shot.


Title: **Until Ragnarok**

Summary: Thor intends for Loki to face Asgardian justice – namely his own. One-shot.

Fandom: Avengers

Word Count: 978

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There were few time when Thor was as terribly sure of something as he was now. He knew that he wasn't the smartest of beings – that his passion had always outweighed his logic. He was the one that raised his hammer – Loki was the one who directed it where to fall.

And Thor knew, looking into his brother's green eyes – pale green, not the usual bright color he was so accustom to – Thor knew exactly what he was going to do.

Loki to the handle to the Tesseract without complaint – not that he could, muzzled as he was. Thor was surprised at the lack of fury in his brother's face, but then this was not the first time Loki was going to face the punishment for his actions.

The Tesseract activated. One moment they were standing in New York City, surrounded by the Avengers, the next their feet were planted firmly on solid ground thousands of miles away – or rather on snow. Thor cast an eye around the stark white mountains that surrounded them. They were impressive, though small compared to the ranges found in realm of the frost giant. Down below Thor could see green in a valley and the blue of a snaking river. Satisfied Thor looked back at his brother.

Loki stared at him with unreadable eyes. Thor quickly raised a hand to his brother's face, ignoring the flinch and widening eyes. For a moment he allowed his fingers to gently stroke his brother's cheek – then he deftly reached behind his brother's head and unlocked the muzzle. The contraption fell to the snow with a dull sound. Loki's face was revealed to Thor fully - the pale lips, lips that Thor had seen laugh and snarl and lie and love, the lips that so definite his silver-tongued brother were still.

For a moment there was no expression in the younger god's face – then suddenly those lips twisted and those green eyes narrowed.

"What are you doing, Thor? This is not Asgard."

"We're not going to Asgard," Thor said simply. There was no use lying to the king of liars. He saw his brother's eyes flickering across his face, looking for something. Thor didn't blink or look away. Why would he? This was his brother and, even now, he held no secrets from him.

"Why are we here? Don't tell me you've decided to kill me and leave my body here? I never would have thought you'd have it in you."

Loki's words stung just as Thor knew Loki wanted them to. It was reminder that they were not on the same side any longer. As if Thor needed one. He pushed back the sting and kept his voice level.

"For someone so smart, brother, you can be so foolish," he reprimanded gently. Then ignoring the narrowed eyes, Thor grasped the Tesseract. The next moment they were standing beneath the tall trees of the valley he had just observed from high. Loki gave a muttered curse and looked around again tightly.

"Why are you doing this? Is Odin not waiting for you to return with the _prisoner_," Loki hissed.

Thor shrugged his great shoulders, a habit he had picked up from the man of iron. "No."

Loki's face when slack for a full second. Thor prided himself for being able to surprise his brother for once instead of the other way around. Then Loki's eyes lit up and he straightened. "No? What do you mean, no? Explain, Thor. Now."

The sound of his name on his brother's lips warmed Thor's heart. It had been too long since he had heard it. And the tone – it certainly wasn't friendly, but neither was it the pure malice he had been hearing as of late.

"No, father is not waiting for us. You are not the only one who knows how to get to Midgard without the Bifrost, brother. I used a subtle, _older _way to come to you. Father has nothing to do with this."

The revelation seemed to shock Loki again. This time the surprise did not disappear from his face with time, but lurked as he spoke next. "You came here on your own? What of all that talk of returning me to Asgardian justice? You are not a liar, Thor. I would know."

"Oh, you will be facing Asgardian justice – mine. You are my brother. I am responsible for you, and I have decided that you are to remain here – with me."

Loki's face was again unreadable. "And what do you mean to accomplish here. Imprison me? By yourself? How long will you sit here and guard me, surely you will get bored."

"Wrong. I don't have any desire to see you caged. I mean to see you healed. You are suffering, brother. You are lost – if you let me, I will be your light."

A guarded look stole across the frost giant's complexion. "And how, pray tell, do you intend to do that?"

"By being your brother. By staying here, with you, until you are ready. To show you how much I love you – how much you have and will always be my brother, Loki. To wait with you until you are ready to return to Asgard, to father and mother – or, if not, to stay with you here until the time of Ragnarok comes and all is gone. Nothing else means as much to me – nothing, brother, but you."

Loki's eyes were wide and vulnerable. They flickered nervously across Thor's face, tasting for truth and finding no lie. It broke Thor's heart to see his brother looking so young and vulnerable. Loki was always so strong. This was a side to him that not even Thor was granted access to often.

Finally, _finally, _a small smile twisted Loki's face.

"Sentiment," he scolded.

And Thor knew all would one day be right once more.


End file.
